Two men have been arrested in connection with the deaths of three teenagers at the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown on St Patrick’s Day.
The men, aged 52 and 40 were arrested earlier on Tuesday on suspicion of corporate manslaughter.
This potential charge means companies and organisations can be found guilty of corporate manslaughter as a result of serious management failures resulting in a gross breach of a duty of care.
Police say both men remain in custody at this time.
Lauren Bullock, 17, Morgan Barnard, 17, and 16-year-old Connor Currie, died after the incident outside the Hotel on Sunday night.
One of the teenagers died at the scene. A number of other teenagers were also treated in hospital.
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd expressed “heartfelt sympathy” to the family and friends of those who “tragically lost their lives on Sunday night and all of those who were there and who may be suffering”.
He added: “A major investigation is underway and I can confirm that a specialist team of detectives has now been assigned to the enquiry. They will seek to establish the full circumstances of this dreadful incident. This will be an extensive investigation with potentially hundreds of witnesses, many of whom are teenagers.
“The community will understand that this investigation will rightly be painstaking and detailed.
“We will proceed in a sensitive manner and our enquiries are likely to take some time to complete. I thank the Cookstown and wider community in advance for their patience and support.
“I would urge young people who were present at the Greenvale last night to please get in touch with MIT detectives. We need to know what you saw.
“I can understand that there may be some reluctance to contact police if you are underage, but please do not be concerned. We are investigating the deaths of three young people, young people just like you. That is our focus.
“We want to be able to give their families answers and your recollection of the events as they unfolded is crucial.
“Detectives can be contacted at the dedicated incident room at Dungannon police station by calling 101, extension 53055. Anyone with any images or footage can pass it to police via the following link: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/PSNI19O08-PO1.”
